An anodeless lithium metal battery includes: a cathode including a cathode current collector and a cathode active material layer on the cathode current collector; an anode current collector on the cathode; a composite electrolyte between the cathode and the anode current collector, wherein the composite electrolyte, wherein the composite electrolyte includes a first liquid electrolyte and a metal comprising at least one of a lithium metal and a lithium metal alloy; and a liquid-impermeable ion-conductive composite membrane between the cathode and the composite electrolyte.